Hamster lifespan

Hamster lifespan can make great family pets—as long as you keep a few things in mind. At birth, they are blind and deaf with no fur. At five days, they start to grow fur. At two weeks, they open their eyes.

Seems like a simple answer, right? Not all hamsters were created equal. The life expectancy may differ from species to species. These are only averages, but you'll notice that the lifespan of a hamster is a lot lower than that of other pets. The oldest hamster in the Guinness Book of World Records made it to a stunning 4.

Hamster lifespan

Are you looking into getting a hamster as a pet? If so, there are various things that you should know about the hamster that you are going to own. One of the things that many people want to know when they decide that it is time for them to get a pet is this - how long will my pet live? Learning more about the average life of a hamster is a good idea before you bring one into your family. If you choose to adopt a pet hamster, it is important to remember that they will be relying on you for their care. It is helpful to know how long you will need to care for them and have the responsibility of caring for them. Just like all other types of animals, it is important to know that there is not just one length of time that hamsters will stay alive. There are varying factors that are going to affect how long your hamster will live. With this being said, you may want to have a general idea of the average life of a hamster. Usually, a hamster is going to live between Remember, this is only an average. The Guinness World Records states that the longest living hamster survived 4. There are numerous factors that are going to affect the average life of a hamster. Some of the factors that you will need to know about include the following:.

Hamsters have been known to carry a virus called Lymphocytic choriomeningitis. Read more.

Hamsters are small, stocky rodents that can make excellent pets if given appropriate care and veterinary treatment. The average hamster lifespan is relatively short, around years, but they can live up to 5 years. Hamsters are typically nocturnal animals that like to burrow and hoard food. The most common hamster species is the Syrian, also known as the golden hamster. Syrian hamsters can have short or long hair known as the teddy bear variety.

Like any small pet, hamsters do have a relatively short average life span. This may vary slightly by breed, genetics and general upbringing. Most hamsters are fairly short-lived, though there are some exceptions to this rule. To help your hamster live longer, there are some general pet care procedures you can follow to increase the chance that they will surpass their lifespan average. However, it is important to remember that hamsters are different than many other pets, due to the rate at which they age. Most hamsters have an average lifespan of about 2 to 3 years. This is an average of all breeds, though some dwarf hamsters rarely exceed a 2 year life expectancy. As an example of this, some sources state that a 2 year old hamster is equivalent to a human that is approximately 70 years old.

Hamster lifespan

So, which hamster species lives the longest, the Syrian , the dwarf or the Chinese? The European hamster, otherwise known as a Black-Bellied Hamster or Common Hamster, is known to live the longest with a lifespan in captivity of up to 8 years. However, the European Hamster is not kept as a pet. In terms of pet hamsters, the Roborovski Hamster is known to live the longest with a typical lifespan in captivity of between 19 and 40 months and an average lifespan of 26 months source: Animal Diversity Web. You might get lucky and get a Roborovski Hamster that lives to be 3 years old, but most hamsters live between 1. Well, according to scientists , smaller animals tend not to live as long as larger animals, although there are of course some exceptions to this rule. With hamsters, there was an evolutionary pressure towards short reproductive cycles, mainly because they are highly predated animals meaning they are the prey of other animals and therefore only have a small amount of time before they reproduce. New research now suggests that a total expended energy over a lifetime is an indicator for how long an animal might live.

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Average life expectancy per species. With that being said, these above averages can give you the range that you can somewhat expect. Syrian hamsters commonly suffer from heart disease, amyloidosis, and pneumonia. How long can a hamster live? The European hamster can live up to eight years in the wild. The motor skills of children under 8 are usually not refined enough to make a hamster feel comfortable being handled. Gibby - Photo Credit: Lisa Haycock Hamsters are popular pets worldwide, often being the first pet that a child will own as their own. I created the following Itch Tracker so that every dog parent can finally have an ea Hamsters have an anatomical difference from other rodent species that can confuse their owners. Well, the average life expectancy varies from species to species. However, just when it's time for your child to go to sleep, it's time for a hamster to wake up. Help us make PetMD better Was this article helpful? Remember, this is only an average.

Hamsters can make great family pets—as long as you keep a few things in mind. At birth, they are blind and deaf with no fur. At five days, they start to grow fur.

Menu search. Syrian hamsters need no more than 0. Males and females are also separated at this stage as breeding is more successful after 10 weeks. Hamster Housing Size Hamster housing should provide at least a gallon cage, with at least square inches of solid not wire floor space, but bigger is always better. Related Articles. They are affectionate and they act a lot like kittens. How to Give Your Hamster a Bath. Some of these tips include the following: Encourage your hamster to exercise regularly daily is best Feed your hamster healthy foods and treats follow all nutritional needs Make sure your hamster has a clean and healthy environment Keep an eye for illnesses in your hamster if you notice any issues, take care of things efficiently and quickly Just take great care of your hamster give them attention, feed them right, play with them, and keep an eye out on their health If you follow these tips, you can do everything in your control to help your hamster to live the longest life possible. Elsevier Academic Press. Related Articles. Search Store Close. Subscribe to Our Newsletter Sign up for weekly pet health tips and insights from our veterinarians. Syrian hamsters can have short or long hair known as the teddy bear variety. Cage size for one hamster should be large enough to provide a nest box, exercise wheel, and other enrichment.